IAOPA Submits Safety Priorities to ICAO

At the request of the head of the ICAO Air Navigation Bureau, the IAOPA secretariat recently submitted its list of top safety items for international general aviation. Potential solutions to the safety issues submitted were also provided. A few of the eight items submitted included:

Terminal airspace design often creates unsafe conditions for general aviation VFR operations by forcing aircraft to fly too low or close to obstacles and by bunching aircraft into limited areas.

Regulatory standards may make safe VFR operations hazardous. Airspace misclassification and placement, operational rules and air traffic control procedures are examples.

Accurate and detailed accident/incident data for general aviation is not available in most States. Without this information effective safety solutions, education and training are difficult to develop.

The full list, including recommended solutions may be found at www.iaopa.org.

IAOPA Requests Consolidation of EASA Proposal Comments

The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is in the process of issuing a series of three notices of proposed amendment (NPA) that will significantly alter flight crew licencing, management and authorizing measures and operations within Europe. Each of these contain elements of interest not only for 31countries that follow EASA rules but for the world as well. This is because each of these NPAs contain provisions for third-country pilots, aircraft mechanics and aircraft operations and airworthiness. IAOPA intends to comment on each of these NPAs because of their worldwide scope, coverage and significance.

The NPAs are being issued sequentially but contain interrelated and interdependent elements, especially for third-country pilots and aircraft. The complexity and depth of these proposals are such that the short comment periods for each of them and their interconnectedness made it difficult to study and understand them in the time allotted.

Therefore the IAOPA secretariat sent a message to the EASA head of regulatory affairs requesting a delay in the comment periods allocated pending release of the final proposal and to set a single deadline for comments to all proposals.

Due to this request and similar comments from other European aviation organizations the comment periods will be extended pending release of the final segment of the proposal series.

AOPA-South Africa Reviving

AOPA-South Africa has always been an essential element of IAOPA because of its activity and the fact that it was one the founding organizations of IAOPA. However, in recent years the organization has experienced decreasing activity and membership. As with many of our formerly strong affiliates a new generation of leadership has recently begun providing direction and new life into the organization.

Dr. J. T. Marais (kosie@iburst.co.za) recently wrote, “I have taken over the administration of AOPA-South Africa upon the resignation of the previous office holder. In addition to a major membership recruitment drive we are undertaking an ambitious project to find and crown South Africa’s safest pilot. We hope that it will engender and stimulate safety awareness amongst all our pilots and that it will lead to a new culture of safety based upon age-old principles. Although the competition will be an event of fun and enjoyment our focus will be on flight safety in all its facets.” The competition will involve the practical aspects of flying from preflight planning through a flight following a specified route. Semi-finalists will compete against one another to determine a winner.

AOPA-US Launches "Let's Go Flying" Initiatives

Following extensive research to determine how to best address the declining pilot population and several months of testing, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association officially launched the Let’s Go Flying initiative at AOPA Expo in San Jose, California.

“If there is one thing pilots love to do, it’s share the joy of flight,” said AOPA-US President Phil Boyer. “A lot of would-be pilots ‘caught the bug’ simply because someone – a friend, relative or business colleague – took them for a flight in a light aircraft. Let’s Go Flying has been developed to capture the interest of anyone who has ever thought about learning to fly, engage them by providing information and resources, and get them to an airport and into an airplane for a first flight.”

Once someone starts on the path to becoming a pilot, Let’s Go Flying will help guide new pilots through the training process. And as they work through their training and earn their certificate, Let’s Go Flying will be there for them with additional resources and advice. From the first dream of flying to the moment that dream becomes reality, Let’s Go Flying will be there, every step of the way.

The Let’s Go Flying Web site is like three sites in one. The first area is for people who dreamed of learning to fly but have never pursued the dream. It explains all the great reasons for learning to fly, like quick weekend trips to visit family or a getaway spot that’s too far to go by car. The second is for those who have decided it’s time to take flight. It explains some of what’s involved in learning to fly, and how to find a flight school and choose an instructor. The third area is for those who have already started learning to fly, or started but had to put lessons on hold for a while and is now ready to pick up again. It has information on the maneuvers you’ll need to perform to earn your pilot license, and in case the flying bug has really bitten you hard, how to choose and finance your own plane.

The site offers a wealth of additional information about flying, including the benefits of flying and potential opportunities for pilots; unique destinations and local events for pilots; expert flight training advice from a pilot; firsthand pilot stories; the opportunity to share your own story; educational information for all levels of pilots.

AOPA- Japan - Taiwan Fly-in

AOPA-Japan public relations spokesperson Yasumasa Hosoya reports that on October 9, 2008, 19 members of AOPA-Japan participated in the organization’s first fly-in to Taiwan. “This had been planned for a few years and was finally realized with the assistance of the Taiwan Aviation Association. We were invited to participate in an air show which took place at Ping Tung Airport during 9-11 October. Five aircraft from AOPA-Japan flew in for the air show and all aircraft were displayed on the ground along with aircraft of the Taiwanese Air Force.

“AOPA-Japan members were invited to a cordial welcome reception, an entertaining party at an aircraft hangar and a tour around southern Taiwan, including a visit to an aircraft component manufacturer. We were all impressed by the thoughtful presentation of all the events and functions organized by the Taiwan Aviation Association. During our stay in Taiwan, we were able to build friendships with Taiwan’s general aviation communities. We hope to continue general aviation exchanges between Japan and Taiwan.”

Two Piper Malibu’s, two Mooney M-20s and one Piper Arrow made the journey.

The International Council of Aircraft Owner and Pilot Associations represents the interests of more than 470,000 pilots and aircraft owners in 67 countries. Formed in 1962, IAOPA is dedicated to promoting the peaceful uses of general aviation and aerial work worldwide.

IAOPA eNews is published monthly by the International Council of Aircraft Owner and Pilot Associations for the use of its affiliate members in representing and advocating general aviation and aerial work interests worldwide.